6/26/2015

If you drive too fast on Western Ave, one can easily drive past this small but delectable cafe. It is located on the east side of Western in a very bland, boring building. If Bite Cafe would put some flower pots at their front door, drive bys would notice this restaurant and stop and enjoy their freshly made Breakfast & Dinner items.
We arrived at Bite Cafe around lunch hour and were promptly seated. The restaurant offers a contemporary spin on favorite breakfast/brunch entrees. Today I wanted to try comfort food so, I ordered the grilled cheese sandwich with tomato fennel soup.  Yeah, the sandwich arrived with it's crusts cut off, which is how I like my grilled cheese! The sandwich was a little too crispy and could've used another slice of cheese. The tomato soup was thick and tasty. I would've liked some parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
My companions ordered the Pimento Cheese Eggs Benedict served with Arugula and something we've never heard of before: the mashbrown. It was an inch thick circle of fried potatoes and spices, very tasty, could've eaten another one.
My other companion ordered the Pork Belly, Egg and Cheese Biscuit. The pork belly was fried nicely, not too fatty and his egg was cooked thru, not runny.
The ambience of the cafe is simple: wood tables anchored by turquoise metal chairs offset by a floor to ceiling brick wall.
The only downside, the bathroom is located in the kitchen, which is awkward and very small.

7/3/2015

So, understandably they won't seat an incomplete party, and it's a good thing because the girls were quite late!  I love the modern/rustic decor and the huge paned window.  I also love that it's a BYOB and you can walk next door to the Empty Bottle and grab something to drink.  Although there was a large Friday night crowd, service was good and the staff was really friendly.  My meat-eating friends had catfish and udon noodles, and the slow-cooked beef short rib.  They both loved what they had and I'll have to take their word for it.  I had a couple of tofu tacos.  They were ok.  The tofu wasn't very flavorful.  Although tofu is bland by nature, it can take on any flavor that's thrown its way.  I just didn't pick up on much flavor.  There was guacamole on the taco but it was seriously the size of a chocolate chip, so I can't really tell if it was good or not.  There just wasn't enough there.  So the girls decided to get dessert and I was sad that there wasn't a vegan dessert on the menu.  The nice server told me they had an off-menu dairy-free lime sherbet so I gave it a go.  It came with a crumble of crunchy sweet granola which was delicious with the cool, tart sorbet.  

Although I wasn't blown away with my tacos, I'd love to come back here and give it another go.  There were enough things really right about this place to merit another visit.

• 

  Very moody in here.

  Very moody in here.

6/6/2015

Can't believe it took me three years to review this place after countless trips and living mere blocks away! Bite is one of the original joints on the new Western Ave. Ukrainian Village revitalization, and it's also one of the strongest.

A great option for brunch or dinner - as long as you are able to amply be seated. It is much easier to get seated for dinner (no reservations! heed warning!) Very often I find there to already be a wait; sometimes up to 45 minutes. BYOB is a huge plus, as I've made my own mimosas for brunch and enjoyed beer and wine for dinner. For brunch, both their savory and sweet dishes are absolutely delectable. My recommendations: french toast or any of their hash/scramble selections featuring a plethora of appetizing ingredients that you won't find being used so innovatively in most neighborhood brunch establishments. For dinner, the burger, grilled cheese, and short rib are all great bets.

The only problem with Bite is that they sometimes "bite" (see what I did there...) off more than they can chew. Their more eclectic offerings, such as pasta, Indian, or Mexican dishes, often fall a bit flat and don't match up to ethnic cuisine restaurants. Although I suppose it's my own fault for being an adventurous eater. Stick to the American comfort food and you'll be amazed.

8/8/2015

Bite is such a great brunch spot! Be sure to get here early on the weekends because this little place sure does get busy. Luckily you can grab a cocktail while you wait in the bar next door. I love to grab a seat by the window! We start off with some coffee and a biscuit with jam. I love places that make their own biscuits and jam as a starter because it makes you feel right at home. Some suggestions for dishes would be the eggs Benedict and really any hash they have, but I'd go with the pork hash if they have it. They are also open for dinner and I've gotten a decent burger from there. However, breakfast is definitely the forte here!

8/9/2015

Great place for brunch!  Small place, so expect to wait 20-30 minutes.  BYOB, but connected to the empty bottle if you want to pop over before or after for a drink. Pork hash was fantastic. Breakfast poutine was also delicious. Dark Matter coffee is the house coffee. Would definitely recommend for brunch, and we'll be coming back to try dinner.

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  Pork hash

  Pork hash

4/27/2015

This is such a cute restaurant with very reasonable prices. It's quaint and charming. We ordered the escargot pasta and the beef cheeks. I would skip the latter since the flavors are so familiar but the pasta had great flavor. We also got the Belgian waffle with goat cheese ice cream. For $6, now THAT was worth it. It was really crunchy (probably deep fried) but the ice cream was delicious. Probably the best goat cheese ice cream I've had in a while.

I also just enjoy the vibe of this play. It's charming and laid back and there's a lot of space for diners. Would come back again!

• 

  Beef cheeks and scallops

  Beef cheeks and scallops
• 

  Tell me that's not beautiful. Escargot pasta. So good.

  Tell me that's not beautiful. Escargot pasta. So good.

3/2/2015

I saw this place featured on Chicago's Best and the food looked delicious. We went around noon on a Sunday and were told it would be a half hour wait. The restaurant is quite small so they have you wait next door...it's not the fancy of places, but at least you're not stuck waiting outside. We were seated in exactly half hour from the time we put our names down.

Our waitress was pleasant and my friend and I decided to go the lunch route. I got the veggie burger and my friend got the turkey arugula sandwich. Both of us were disappointed. Maybe it had something to do with the wait versus what the food tasted like. My veggie burger was bland. I was sort of hoping the red sauce on it would be spicy, but it really didn't have a taste. The fries were also quite boring and not seasoned well. I still have high hopes for this place though because after I ordered I sort of knew I should have went the breakfast route. If I do go back I will definitely try the French toast!

• 

  Turkey arugula sandwich

  Turkey arugula sandwich
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  Veggie Burger

  Veggie Burger

2/22/2015

Going for breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings in Chicago can be rather discouraging. Many breakfast spots have long lines outside and crowded waiting areas inside. So, you end up preparing your own breakfast at home. And then you stumble upon Bite Cafe.

It could be that I got there as soon as they opened for business because the restaurant did start to fill up later, but not such that patrons had to wait outside for a seat. This was a huge plus.

I had the challah bread French toast, mashedbrown, and eggs scrambled well with gruyere cheese. The French toast was so blooming good that it didn't require any more syrup than the maple syrup drizzle that came on it. The hazelnut butter and banana anglaise gave flavour without making the toast excessively sweet. The mashedbrown was a potato cake that I'd buy in bulk and eat in the mornings for a breakfast snack. And since I was able to get gruyere in my eggs rather than American, jack, or cheddar cheese, I was in love.

So, it seems that Bite Cafe also has lunch and dinner menus. I shall have to return to check out those offerings. The breakfast set was definitely good enough to have me return in the mornings, for sure.

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  Challah Bread French Toast

  Challah Bread French Toast
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  Scrambled Eggs and Mashedbrown

  Scrambled Eggs and Mashedbrown
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  Challah Bread French Toast

  Challah Bread French Toast
• See all photos from Gino W. for Bite Cafe

8/11/2015

This is our first visit and we really enjoyed our brunch.The pork and collard green omelette was original and delicious! Our waitress mistakenly ordered an additional and returned it without any issues. Customer service was awesome! We will return with friends.

5/6/2015

Now I rarely come to the Ukrainian village, but I did want to check out the Do Division fest. K recommended Bite and so we went over. The place is smaller than the pics they have up, but its very cute and lively inside. They seat you once your whole party gets there and cos of lack of space, you usually have to eat at the bar or stand outside. They have a number of smaller tables, so really big groups would be hard to accommodate. One of our friends showed up unexpectedly and we squeezed her in on our 2 person table, to be informed that we were making the other guests uncomfortable. Not really cool- the waitress didn't offer us another table or anything.

On to the food- now this is the reason to come here. We tried the bi bim bap, the biscuits and spinach, the asparagus omelette and the strawberry bread. I LOVED the first dish, the bulgar was so well made and flavorful, will definitely get this and the strawberry bread again. The omelette and spinach biscuits was ok- well made but ok. The omelette comes with a hash brown patty which is a true melody of textures- I hope to get it on the side without the omelette. I will come back to try the other dishes for sure.

4/27/2015

Bite is great. I've been several times, I'm a big fan of their brunch. I'm warning you now, there's a wait. I usually come during the week to avoid the crowds. It's small, quaint, and quirky. The service has always been good.

I'm a big fan of their eggs, the hangover fry is my favorite so far. There's usually something different to try, in addition to a few staples. The menu isn't very big for those of you that are picky eaters, but I do think there's variety. Oh, and the bathroom is in the kitchen, the staff had Fleetwood Mac's greatest hits playing last time I was there.

I personally think that their brunch menu is stronger than the dinner menu, but I could eat breakfast for every meal. Good location, usually parking isn't much trouble. Definitely worth checking out!

6/14/2015

This place was PACKED on a Sunday afternoon, but thankfully we were quickly seated at the bar. Our waitress, a fabulous girl with blue tipped hair whose name I can't recall, was awesomely helpful in guiding us toward food we would love. And man was she right! I had the French toast with hazelnut butter, which was a perfect blend of sweet and savory. The "mashbrown" was a fun take on a latke, although probably the most lackluster thing we tried. The pork hash was a hit with the boy, although it wasn't my thing. Great food at reasonable prices - no complaints here!

5/10/2015

Absolutely amazing food. I have been here a couple of times now and I have never left disappointed.

The menu changes often. Every time I come in I am delighted to see very creative and unique menu options.

The pork hash is absolutely amazing and a regular item on the menu. I had the Pomento Cheese Eggs Benedict this morning and it was delicious. The smells from the kitchen alone are a reason to visit this place. The ingredients are always fresh and nothing is ever stale. Good coffee and amazing food. What else can you ask for?! The server was also kind and very attentive. 5 stars from me and I will be back!

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  Pork Hash

  Pork Hash
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  Pimento Cheese Eggs Benedict

  Pimento Cheese Eggs Benedict
• 

  The space

  The space

7/27/2015

We decided to try Bite based on the Yelp reviews and were not disappointed. We went for Sunday brunch and ended up sitting at the bar next door, so we didn't have to wait. The service was good and so was the atmosphere. It took a while to get our food and when it came, was a little on the lukewarm side of things. I'm not sure if this was a result of where we were sitting or what, but it's worth mentioning. My Bi Bim Bop was super flavorful and light, exactly what what I was looking for. My husband's breakfast poutine was also very tasty, but he was a bit disappointed that his poached egg arrived hard boiled. I'm excited to try Bite again and I'd love to see what they have in store on the dinner menu!

9/24/2014

You don't spy breakfast poutine on too many menus here in the good ole USofA. And if I had more space in my midsection I would definitely have sampled said dish at Bite Cafe. But nevertheless I ordered the migas and thoroughly enjoyed my bfast at the adorable Bite Cafe.

First of all, the location is pretty choice, as there's a good amount of free or metered street parking within a stone's throw of the cafe. While it's small in size, Bite Cafe's menu is big on flavor. After some perusal I settled on the aforementioned migas - fried tortilla scramble, yukons, pico de gallo, salsa verde, and pepperjack. It was warm cozy, super filling, and delicious. Hat tip to our friendly server who recommended it as I was waffling through options!

Next time I'm in the area and craving a substantial, creative bfast, Bite Cafe is near the top of my list!

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  Migas

  Migas

6/25/2015

Idk why I haven't been back sooner! Went here to grab my favorite tofu tacos- which were amazing as usual- I also grabbed a side of the seasonal vegetables And so happy i made that choice. I usually go for the fries, but so glad I chose the veggies today! They were so delicious  can't wait to come here again and love
That they have a veggie & vegan friendly menu! Thanks bite !

5/12/2015

Can I somehow give this place 6 stars?
I don't know what I can say that hasn't been said in on of the more than 600 reviews that have been previously posted.
AMAZING Food.
BYOB.
Great service.
Did I mention BYOB and Fantastic Food?

4/28/2015

I had some great food while in Chicago, but this was by far the best!

We had the escargot pasta and the beef cheeks/scallops. Both were great, especially the escargot pasta. For dessert, we ordered the Belgian waffle with the goat cheese ice cream, which was probably one of the best desserts I've ever had--I'm so glad I split it with my friend, because it was really rich.

I loved the intimate vibe of the place. Such a great dinner experience!

11/30/2014 Updated review

The husband and I truly like the staff at Bite Cafe and the ambience. The ambience is casual with local artists' work displayed that changes several times a year.  The music varies with the personnel and that is cool.
We enjoy getting the breakfast and lunch menu here more than the dinners because the selection of entrees has changed so much. Everything emphasizes red meat or seems to include bacon or cream during dinner and the vegan/vegetarian options usually are heavy on pasta or other carbs, or fried, or otherwise are heavier than we prefer.
Breakfast and lunch options (available from 9am to 5pm) are lighter and more appealing to us!
The morning bread is big enough to share and a quick bread reflecting seasonal flavors! It's particularly good with the Bite Cafe Blend of Dark Matter coffee, which is only available in a full octane caffeinated version, which I love! The husband doesn't like Bite's inability to prepare his eggs in a soft un-browned version. He limits himself only to soft poached eggs if he orders them at all. He enjoys the soups, except those that feature potato or bacon; the breakfast taco, the black beans (number 3 quality version in Chicago, IMHO), the Bi Bim Bop, and is willing to try new menu items when they appear.
I enjoy the breakfast taco made with egg whites, the tofu scramble with black beans instead of the mashbrown and multigrain toast instead of sour dough, the side salad, the seasonal entree salads, and the grilled asparagus or vegetables when available.
We like the evening fish dish when it is prepared without cream or bacon. The vegetable sides are usually very good especially when dairy free.
The desserts are limited to their after 5 Pm seatings. I like the brownie and give my ice cream to the husband. He usually likes the cake if available.
All in all, I highly recommend the Bite Cafe!
Usually parking on Western is not a problem.

• 

  Winter Salad with two scrambled egg whites

  Winter Salad with two scrambled egg whites
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  Winter Salad - scrumptious menu description - appearing on daytime as well as dinner menu (01/29/2015)

  Winter Salad - scrumptious menu description - appearing on daytime as well as dinner menu (01/29/2015)
• 

  Winter Salad

  Winter Salad

6/5/2015

According to my husband Bite Cafe deserves a 4.5-5 stars from his point of view.

I only gave them 4 stars because we weren't noticed once we walked in at the door (however: they were a bit busy for having just two servers), and we actually sat ourselves in which might throw some people off if you never have been here before. (note: this wasn't my first time here).

Kudos to Exec Chef: Dave Cooper & his Sous Chef: Todd Decker. My husband and I decided to tackle items off the special menu board. For some reason I feel this is where the chef/sous chef have more freedom w/creativity in a dish. My husband had the milanesa open face sandwich special, and I had a crazy fresh, clean, lots of heat and favorable tofu scramble special.

The end results we both w/clean plates asking for more.;)

Thank you Jesy you were sweet, and attentive.

5/6/2015

The French toast was good but underwhelming for what I expected. The hangover salad is always good though. The place is small but the hours are nice.

12/28/2014

On a day I wanted to celebrate my birthday brunch, I went on yelp and looked for a spot around the wicker park area. And I am so excited I found this place!!

My cousins got here a few minutes before me and there was a 10 minute wait, we were given the opportunity to hang out in the back room (surprised they had this room, but is a great addition) where they had a pool table and a few vintage games.

The service was great! Really nice and attentive waitress who gave us her recommendations and helped us set up our BYOB mimosas!

I ordered the pork hash (in which 3/5 of us ordered--and all of us agreed is to die for). My cousin got the migas---kinda like a chilaquilles and she finished it! My other cousin figured to order the bi bim bap since the holiday eating has been overwhelming--she was glad she had this choice!

Overall nothing I can complain about !!

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  Pork Hash and the BYOB mimosa!!

  Pork Hash and the BYOB mimosa!!

1/10/2015

This place is good, inconsistent, but good.

The space is small but great for dates. The tables are close together so be aware that'll be close quarters. The kitchen is open to the dining room but not noisy or smokey.

The food:
We've been there three times and have tried
1) The poutin: delicious, you can choose between bacon or mushroom gravy. I like the peppers on top.
2) The mussels and fries: it's an appetizer but I had it as a dinner dish. Very good, mussels we're cooked perfectly and the wine broth was also good. The fries and grilled bread were a great addition.
3) The fish fry: we've has this dish twice and it was good the first time but too oily the second time.
4) Broccoli cheddar soup was underwhelming and under seasoned.
5) Salmon and soba noodle is my favorite dish here. The salmon is delicious.

The problem we've had here is that the experience goes down each time we go.

While it's a great place overall I think that consistency is lacking. The first time we went the food was perfect. The second time we went the fish was soggy. And the last time we went the fries we're too salty and the fish was soggy again.

2/17/2015

I had the "magi." It was delicious.  I was disappointed when I asked for a bloody mary and I wad told it was BYOB, but there's a bar next to bite cafe, which is connected to this place.  .....I was confused, but it was like going from one world to another.  One business is a restaurant, but if you leave that room, go into the waiting room and into the third room-bam!- you hit the bar.....

It was a lovely, unique experience!  Go! You won't be disappointed!

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  Magi plate

  Magi plate

7/12/2015

Had the eggs Benedict and it was exceptional. The place was packed with hipsters to the brim. Quite interesting.

2/14/2015

I came here with a friend for brunch on a super cold windy day and we were asked to wait outside since there isn't really a waiting area inside. By the time we were seated I couldn't feel my legs anymore. So it's not necessarily an ideal place to come in winter unless you're willing to freeze outside.

Once we were seated, it took a while for our waiter to come. When we saw that a table seated after us was already attended to, my friend ended up going to the f front to ask about our server.

In terms of the food, I ordered the pork hash and was underwhelmed by the flavor. It looked really appetizing but the pork was too salty and the rest was just bland.

I had high hopes for this place. Maybe I'll give it another go, I'm not sure.

4/12/2015

Went with a friend yesterday and was pretty disappointed. We were told it would be a 20 minute wait which was fine. We waited next door where there was a craft show going on.

When we were called we sat at the counter and were served coffee by a very cranky waitress. She dropped our coffee mugs so hard on the counter the coffee sloshed over the edges. My friend asked the waitress if she recommended the leek bread pudding, 2hich was the special, or the grilled cheese. The waitress seemed annoyed and recommended the grilled cheese since she did not know if the specials were any good.

I ordered the crispy pork belly breakfast sandwich with fries and my friend ordered the grilled cheese with tomato soup. It took 45 minutes to get our food and I was given hash browns instead of fries. We sat at the counter so we could see my friend's grilled cheese just sitting in tge pick up window 20 minutes. My guess is they messed up my sandwich but I wish they would have said something or at least fed my friend instead of having her food just sit.

Food was good but not worth the wait or the bad service.

7/5/2015

Well worth the price for a nice brunch. The place is small, so try and go off peak.  We had the grilled cheese/tomato soup combo and the house Ruben w/fries.  Both sandwiches had very crispy bread and held the ingredients nicely.

3/27/2014

Simply put, this is no ordinary pub/cafe/restaurant. The first time I ate there, I had dinner. They have great mussels and potatoes. I can't remember what I had the first time, but it was so delicious I chose this restaurant for my birthday dinner last year.

The braised pork belly was perfectly cooked and tasty. The duck confit was delicious. What makes their entrees so great is that they prepare the dishes well, choose quality greens and starches to go along, and tie it all together with thoughtful sauce and flavor combinations. The menu is New American with different specials like risottos and braised meats.

Another time I came back for brunch and was happy I did. The Challah bread french toast was a good start and big enough to share. The pork hash was filling and so yummy. The right amount of spicy Hollandaise and tender pork shoulder paired well with the roasted and slightly sweet butternut squash. I can't wait to go back and try the other dishes.

The service has always been good and though the space is a little small, the decor and atmosphere make it feel warm and cozy. Even when it was busy for dinner, I thought the service was friendly, quick, and helpful with suggestions and answering questions about the menu. I highly recommend trying this restaurant if you are looking for a place for quality New American food executed well--oh, the prices are cheap compared to other restaurants of this class.

• 

  Pork hash and migas behind

  Pork hash and migas behind

5/1/2014 Updated review

I went back to Bite this week, and although it was still good, there were a few issues that make it necessary to knock off a star.

We started with the poutine with mushroom gravy and it was fine, but not great and maybe not even good.  It tasted a little healthier than a regular poutine but the flavors were nothing special.

I had the pork belly porcetta entrée and this dish completely  knocked it out of the park.  It was salty and fatty and delicious, definitely an A+ dish.  My friends had the asparagus and cheese grits meal and the Tues night special filet mignon.  I'm told both were very good.

Now, dessert was a big letdown.  I had the salted fudge brownie again, and unlike last time, the salt was too heavy-handed.  I had taken too many bites to send it back, but it was not good.  The fried challah bread pudding was excellent though.

On the whole, this is a good restaurant and I'll be back, but not quite five-star worthy this time around.

10/14/2014

Went here last night for dinner and wanted to love this place but it really missed the mark. Although it's possible that we just ordered the wrong things.

1. Love that this was BYOB and that you can buy beer/wine from the bar next door. Makes it easy when you forget your own booze. Also loved the decor - super cozy & cute.

2. Had the hangover salad to start - this was a hit, likely something I'll try to recreate at home.

3. Mac and Cheese - hard for me not to order and while it was tasty it wasn't my favorite and probably not worth the cals. No breadcrumbs, or bacon - they kept it straight and to the point but still wasn't my favorite.

4. Steak Tacos on Special - both my dad & boyfriend ordered these, I didn't try them but mainly they didn't like them. They did not look great - the meat looked sub par quality and they had a weird sauce on them as well, would stay away from this.

5. Falafel sandwhich - Amazing french fries, sandwhich was heavy and nothing out of the ordinary.

Other things on the menu jumped out at me: grilled cheese & tomato soup, whitefish on special, burgers - I really think we just ordered wrong. Other things that people ordered around us looked much better than the options we selected. Would go back & maybe even for brunch!

4/11/2015

Interesting, homey BYOB place with really good food.

I came here with a couple friends. Food is excellent, and the service is very nice. It's quite small, and you can feel a little shoulder to shoulder with your neighbors, but the noise level is fine.

It's nicely priced - you need probably one more dish than you have people, which works out to about $20-25 with tip per person. That's great for the delicious food here.

The Fried Oysters and Grits were particularly memorable. The Chili Vinegar on top gives a great kick. We also had the poutine, which was tasty, though not totally memorable. You can buy a bottle of wine next door at the Empty Bottle and carry it right back, so it's really BYOB in name only.

Loved it; will definitely go back.

4/14/2015

LOVED this place.  If you're a fan of places like Lula, and enjoy VERY FRESH creative delicious food, check it out.
The only thing that wasn't for me was the coffee - has more of that dark roasty flavor than I'm partial to.
Cool interior, interesting menu (plus plenty of breakfast classics)
Even scored free parking to the north of the building on a weekday morning.

9/25/2014

I'm a fan!!! Was curious about this place based on the stellar reviews on yelp and it sure didn't disappoint. Everything we ordered was excellent. Chopped summer salad was light & refreshing & perfectly dressed. Drumsticks had crackling skin and juicy interior. Catfish stew had an interesting kick an perfect for chilly fall days. Short ribs were fork-tender and oh-so-flavorful. Mussels were tender and juicy and the broth was to die for. If I had to nitpick, the sausage appetizer was probably the least exciting. Pot de creme dessert was a bit too salty for my sweet tooth but given how good the main dishes were, I think they still deserve 5 stars! Service was also great. Love!

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  Crispy drumsticks

  Crispy drumsticks
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  Mussels

  Mussels
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  Catfish stew

  Catfish stew
• See all photos from Jennie C. for Bite Cafe

4/25/2015

I wasn't sure what to expect out of the Bite Cafe. However, I will admit I was very pleased. I was worried during the beginning of our experience when they skipped our name on the waiting list. Their host stand seemed unorganized. This worried me because the host stand is the core of a restaurant. Nonetheless, that is truly my only complaint of my experience.

My boyfriend and I shared the falafel plate and two specialty entrees of pork chops with a fluffy polenta cake and blueberry compote and a ramp pesto gnocchi. The gnocchi was outta sight and the pork chop was cooked perfectly. Daren, our server, was friendly, attentive and did everything to make our experience worth 5 stars. I would definitely recommend this to a homie.

7/26/2015

The service blows. I was waiting for 10 minutes for a menu. Then I waited for over an hour and still had no food. A staff told me they lost my order due to kitchen fire something and they are making my food. 15 minutes later I still had no food. The server didn't offer any toast or anything to hold me over. Nothing! I left starving.

7/30/2015

My favorite breakfast. I've been eating here about once a week (at a minimum) for over three years. Just love it.

4/2/2014

I ditched my friends who were playing volleyball to eat at Bite Cafe. They were really mad at me, but when I said that it was because I went to get brunch at Bite, they understood.

Pork Hash. BYOB.

• 

  Breakfast poutine + pork hash

  Breakfast poutine + pork hash

2/4/2015

We came here as part of our Wicker Park brunch tour, as big lovers of brunch (and obviously Wicker Park). Bite was next on our list. It was a little out of the way of the Division and Milwaukee stretches, but we still ventured over there. We were quoted a half-hour wait on a Saturday and were informed we could wait in Empty Bottle next door. We waited in the vestibule area for 30 seconds, discussing if we actually wanted to wait 30 minutes or not, and the hostess came out telling us we weren't allowed to stand there. Fine. We went over to Empty Bottle, which was filled with some kind of art fair and also a bar. We saw people eating at the bar and realized that we would maybe be able to eat there. We decided to look around and wait. It was loud and we noticed the hostess walking around yelling out names, which may have been difficult to hear. Luckily, we heard our name when it was finally called.

We walked through to the restaurant area. The actual dining space is small. Out tattooed waitress wasn't particularly helpful. When we ordered three entrees (one of which was poutine to share), she made a judgmental comment about how it was too much food for two people. We requested the poutine to come out first, like an app, which did happen. It tasted good and portions were big. My meat-lover skillet was also decent, but nothing to write home about. The poutine was probably my favorite.

She gave us the check with NO PEN. She was nowhere to be seen after that, so I ended up having to write on the check with my girlfriend's eyeliner pencil. Ridiculous. Honestly, food was pretty good here and probably deserves four stars, but service was pretty lacking. We tried it, so now we won't have to come back. We will be back to Empty Bottle, though.

9/8/2014

We really enjoyed the specials here. Steak filet and pork shoulder steak. I guess we were in the mood for some protein haha. Plus, we usually like to go for any specials of the day that the restaurant might be having. It's like they were experimenting with some ingredients and came up with something thoughtful and amazing and wanted their customers to try it. Or it could also be that they are trying to "get rid" of certain ingredients that they have too much of? I don't know. I'm just rambling now.

I love that it's BYOB without any corkage fee! Awesome for those of you who are looking for some good eats to go with your bottle of wine that you got from Trader Joe's for only $5. Because that's exactly what I did. Heehee.

6/14/2015

Cozy brunch place with friendly service. The pimento cheese eggs benedict was amazing -- can't recommend it highly enough. One of the best breakfast dishes I've had -- delicious mix of flavors and textures with a slight kick. The crispy pork belly, egg, and cheese biscuit was good too but not at the same level. Prices are very reasonable for the quality of food.

1/31/2015

I went to bite with my husband for our 3rd anniversary (we wanted something cozy and romantic for our special day). When we came in our hostess greeted us kindly. One of the reasons I like coming into town, especially to places like this, is that you get to see cool artist-types but without the attitude. She was friendly and gave us a pretty reasonable wait time for such a packed restaurant (plus I loved her hair -- I have nooooo idea how she got it to be that color). We got to wait next door in the bar and drink bloodys (not a bad deal if you ask me! But next time I'll bring my own bottle of chard).

Overall the menu is a soulful, eclectic mix: eggs Benedict, French toast - but I don't get why so many restaurants these days have bi bim bop on the menu (must be some sort of east meets west food trend, can't say that I'm not over it already)

We ordered the grilled cheese and the pork hash. The grilled cheese was beyond buttery and so tasty my hubby was almost in tears! Overall great place for brunch- the service was attentive and the food was tasty. Great spot especially for a special day!

7/24/2014

Perhaps it was because we were incredibly hungry but the meal we had here was absurdly good. Let me start with the fact that we went for dinner on a Saturday night and had no wait - there were plenty of open tables. One would take this as a sign that it's not a great place, but that's just not true.

We ordered the mac & cheese ($6), the beet salad ($9), and the burger ($10).

Mac & cheese: I am picky about my mac & cheese and Bite Cafe lived up to my standards. It wasn't the least bit dry and it had a ton of flavor without having to add things like bacon or peppers. It was delicious.

Beet salad: This was so, so good. Goat cheese and beets is a fantastic combo. My friend thought it had too much vinegarette, but I disagreed.

Burger: It was HUGE and I enjoyed every bite. Most importantly, they didn't overcook it.

I thought the prices matched the portions really well; we left with leftovers. The service was quite good - very friendly and helpful. The atmosphere was cozy but not overly loud.

I would definitely go back here to try more things on the menu (I wanted to order them all!) and the delicious-sounding specials. We loved Bite Cafe.

2/6/2015

Probably my own fault for ordering something I didn't like, but I got the fish special of the day and it was too full of capers for me to eat and/or enjoy. The boyfriend ordered sausage which was much better. We shared the poutine which was spot on! I recommend the poutine! It's BYOB which is always awesome. I will definitely be coming back to try something different and will be sure to update the review!

3/25/2015

Cozy, quirky place with an interesting menu! Not feeling very adventurous, I got a cheeseburger with fries and split the Hangover Salad (romaine, croutons, bacon, poached egg, vinaigrette dressing) with a friend. Loved the burger!! Just the comfort food I wanted taken up an extra notch.

Others in our party got the mussels with fries, roasted rabbit, and coconut milk catfish. I think everyone enjoyed their meal.

12/5/2014

Ohhhhhh where do I start with Bite Cafe. I've been coming here relatively regularly with my girlfriend since this past summer, and we're never disappointed! The atmosphere is tasteful and modern, cohesive colors, cool screen prints on the walls.

Breakfast available every day until 5:00 pm, the French Toast, Eggs Duncan, and $3 breakfast tacos are standbys, not to mention the excellent Dark Matter coffee.

For dinner, we love the Beef Short Rib (when it's available), it's just like Mom's pot roast from home! The oysters with grits are an amazing combination as well. Everything is skillfully prepared so you really can't go wrong.

Service is top-notch whether you're the only people in the place or if it's packed. Try the shakes too, if you look toward the back of the cafe they're listed on a chalkboard on the lower-left corner. We've also had a butterscotch Pot de Creme which was nothing less than spectacular. Try this place, you'll be back again.... and again... and again........... and again.

7/24/2014

tried the..

Poutine - French Fries, Bacon Gravy, Cheese Curds, Pickled Chiles- it was ok.. didnt taste bacon or any bacon flavor...

Mussels and Fries - Shallots, Garlic, Bacon, Smoked Paprika Butter, White Wine- looked really good and the mussels was cooked just  right.. but needed a little more flavor..

Falafel Sandwich - Smoked Eggplant, Chickpea, Tomato, and Herb Salad  . kale salad - i like it.. the ingredients was fresh.. and the portion was a good size..

Housemade Rye Pappardelle - Caraway, Charred Tomato Sauce, Golden Raisins,
Capers, Broccolini, Parmesan - looked weird but it wasnt bad.. i didnt know what i was eating but it had good flavoring to it lol..

6/1/2015

I pretty much want to eat here all the time! Those little delicious tofu tacos make me so happy I could do a back flip. It's BYOB and and has super reasonable prices considering the food is very high quality. The bathroom is located through the kitchen which some people might not like but I like to creep on the line cooks so yay! One of my favorite things about this joint is it's located right next to the Empty Bottle. It's the perfect place to fill up and get a little saucy before getting your face melted.

3/2/2015

I ordered take out with my roommate on a Friday night and decided on Bite Cafe since their menu looked so enticing and it's conveniently only a couple blocks away. I'm so glad we finally decided to try out Bite! We called in our order and it was ready in 20 minutes. I ordered the grilled cheese with tomato & fennel soup. Once I got home I didn't find any soup! :( I called Bite right away and asked to see if we placed our order wrong, but they confirmed the grilled cheese comes with the soup. The gentleman I spoke with was very apologetic and I ran back to grab the soup. They even included a brownie and ice cream for the trouble.

I'm so glad I ran back to get the soup. In my mind, there are fewer combos that are as perfect as grilled cheese and tomato soup. The grilled cheese was on thick pieces of buttered sourdough bread. It had the perfect amount of crunchiness and I loved the combo of cheese they used. The soup was creamy, but not too heavy. I liked the addition of the fennel. I know fennel can have a strong licorice taste, but it wasn't overpowering at all and gave the soup character. I probably could've gotten away with just eating the sandwich though. It was very filling.

The brownie and ice cream was also great. My roommate and I split it the next day and warmed the brownie up in the microwave. It's a very fudgy brownie and I liked the bite from the chocolate chips. I also have a love for the chewy edges of brownies and this one definitely had a nice chewy edge.

Bravo Bite Cafe! I can't wait to dine in with y'all!

12/21/2014

i have been here a couple times for the brunch. The food ranges from ok (the pork hash and french toast) to poor (chicken and biscuits). I like runny eggs, but I specified that I wanted them well done to avoid undercooked whites. Of course, the eggs arrived and most of the egg whites were clear and raw. There was also too much potato. Otherwise, the hash is not bad, but not as good as those at Yolk or Original Pancake House. The chicken and biscuits were bad. There was barely any chicken. The $12 dish was 75% biscuit and 10% gravy and cabbage. The biscuit was quite dry and the gravy a bit gloopy (maybe from cornstarch?). Not at all delicious, and so overpriced.

We had a pretty negative experience with the service. The lady seating people asked us to wait in the adjoining room until our third person arrived. We did for a while, then our third person did arrive, and we informed her as she had instructed. There was an empty table for four, but she gave it away to a party that had just come in. Not a big deal, because another table of four had just left. Minutes passed, and no one came to clear the table. She asked us to wait in the adjoining room.

We went back to the adjoining room to wait, but there was a band was practicing with percussion, and it became so loud that we couldn't hear or talk over the noise. We went back to wait in a corner of the dining room. The table was still uncleared. The seating lady again asked us to go back to the adjoining room or wait outside (this is in December, so it was cold). I don't understand why she was so keen on herding us away and adamant that we wait somewhere else, as the dining room was pretty empty and we were in a corner, not in anyone's way. Maybe they shouldn't play deafening music in the only other place they have customers wait. Maybe they could have explained why it takes ten minutes to clear a table. We felt like we were more a nuisance than customers.

7/7/2014

I've been here quite a few times, and I think the A-Ok yelp rating definitely fits the bill.

The waitstaff has been pretty decent.  I've never had to wait too long for anything I've needed or wanted.  I think they definitely have a hipster requirement in order to get hired though, so they have a little bit of that hipster malaise going on.  But over all, they've been cool.  

I've had quite a few different dishes:

-the tomato soup and grilled cheese was probably the best dish that I had

-the veggie burger was a little mushy, but the bun and the fries were delicious

-the eggs duncan was probably the worst of the bunch.  The biscuits were good, but there was a ton of spinach and cheese and peas on top which made everything a bit more mushy than I'd like.

They serve dark matter coffee which is always a plus.  

Overall a cute, decent restaurant.  Prices aren't outrageous either.

6/30/2014

My friends and husband came here to eat on a Saturday early afternoon. I hear this place gets really crowded so my husband and I came early to get a table..like around 10am. They weren't as busy but unfortunately my friends were running late so we had to wait for them. They won't seat everyone until the whole party is there. We waited a little over an hour for my friend to show up, and the staff were nice enough to reserve the table I saw for us. I did leave my name with her when I first went in...so it was nice the table wasn't given away.

It's a cute little cafe..baby blue chairs, stools, but dark artwork. For food, I thought it was decent. I liked it, but my husband not so much. I ordered the pork hash which I found to be very good. It's pork shoulders on top of a garlic bread with eggs on top with a specific sauce. I also ordered their biscuits and gravy as a side...its  a very strange biscuits and gravy. The biscuits were hard! That was not tasteful...I shared it with my friends and all of us just finished half of it..just because it is so different than the biscuits and gravy we had before. My husband had their cream of potato soup which was decent..no potatoes, but there were bacon chunks. It's a potato soup base with chunks of bacon. As for entree he had the egg duncan. I thought it was good, but he thought it was just okay. I like the spinach..but his biscuits were hard as well. My other friends ordered similar things as us, and they thought it was ok.

Overall, decent brunch place. Interesting items on their menu  - it's not your standard brunch food but it is very fun to try new things! Service is good.

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  Pork hash

  Pork hash
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  Biscuits and gravy

  Biscuits and gravy
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  Egg Duncan

  Egg Duncan
• See all photos from Susie C. for Bite Cafe

12/22/2013

I came here on a Sunday night for dinner for 4 people and expected a long wait but we were seated right away. I ordered the burger with pepper jack cheese and a fried egg. It was pretty good for the most part. The patty was thick and juicy. My girlfriend had the crispy duck leg confit served with Brussels sprouts and butternut squash. She loved it! She said the squash was a nice touch to the duck leg and the Brussels sprouts were amazing. This dish was small though and she had room for dessert. I got to try the gnocchi from my friend and let me tell you, this was amazing. She has been dreaming about this dish since she tried it and I can see why. I will be ordering this dish the next time I come here.

Since we weren't too full, we ordered the gingerbread cake and salted fudge brownie for dessert. The gingerbread cake was topped with apple better and whipped cream. This was good but it was a little too overpowering. The salted fudge brownie was topped with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. This was amazing! There was enough ice cream for the whole brownie. This really hit the spot.

I will definitely be back to try brunch soon!

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• See all photos from Danny M. for Bite Cafe

7/19/2014

I love this place.  They never seem to disappoint me.  I swear it's always delicious, all the new stuff I try every time.  

Also the portions are pretty good for the price and the staff is friendly.

4/26/2015

This is my favorite restaurant in Chicago, for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Everything is fantastic, and they have tons of vegetarian options/accommodations. For example you can sub tofu for ANY brunch entree with eggs. My dream. Super cute inside. It's BYOB, but they also have a full bar due to Empty Bottle being next door; while you're waiting for a table you can buy drinks and then bring them to your table when it's ready. I highly recommend Bite!!

2/18/2015

Was there for a breakfast with my wife. Tasty. Big portions. Not expensive. Close to home. Happy)

11/2/2014

This is my our go to place in the neighborhood. We are spoiled and live down the street from here. Just about everything they have on their menu is fantastic. Some of my favorites breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. Can you tell I go there ALL THE TIME!!

4/28/2014

Tried this place on a whim and loved it. It's small and a bit cramped, so be prepared.

We tried the apple pie bread (yum!) and a biscuit with mushroom gravy- soooo good. Us non-pork eaters are usually SOL when it comes to biscuits and gravy but if there's ever a non-sausage option I usually gobble it up and this mushroom gravy was great.

I asked if their OJ was fresh squeezed and our waitress said, "Yes, but not by us!" which made me laugh. Points for honesty! :)

Husband loved the coffee- a bit too strong for me but I'm more a tea drinker than coffee so I guess you can't trust my opinion anyway. He had the steak and eggs and I had the migas- all good. My migas tasted better with his leftover salsa verde over the top so it worked out nicely!

Prices also seemed fair. His steak and eggs were $15 and my migas (easily enough to feed 2 if you both shared an app or something) was under $10 I think.

Super nice waitress and friendly service. A+ !

11/4/2014

Great for Breakfast.  There is usually a bit of a wait on the weekends, but it's worth it.  They let you hang out in the empty bottle where you can sit at the bar or in the lounge and order coffee or drinks.

I had the chorizo special.  The chorizo was some of the best I've had along with a good portion of fresh cooked peppers, onions, and zucchini. with 2 eggs over easy.  

The staff is also great.

11/26/2014

i love how it's connected to the empty bottle bar so if you're waiting forever to be seated for dinner you can at least grab a drink or two.

byob with no corkage fee ++++

the pork shoulder is a knockout.

11/24/2014

I played hooky one day from work and decided to go here for brunch. It was very empty, since it was 11am on a Tuesday. The service wasn't great. The guy got our orders very confused and he didn't stop by the table too often so it took awhile to get things corrected, but I will give it to him that he was apologetic and fixed the situation. I BYOBed some champs for mimosas. We tried the biscuits with jam, the breakfast taco, the hash and the fried chicken. My favorite was the hash, and my least favorite was the taco. Everything was amazing.

4/11/2015

Food was decent but it took 45 minutes to get 2 sandwiches. Our waitress was kind of crabby too. I see no reason to come back.

3/20/2014

My old coworkers and I met up here for a quarterly now becoming brunch BYOB gathering. We were seated when our last person got in the door. It was perfect timing, and maybe the weather kept others from venturing out. We brought 3 bottles of champagne and went to town on a carafe of freshly squeezed orange juice. I ordered the Pork Hash and was very happy with my meal. The portion was right and it was very tasty. I also got to try my friend's Bi Bim Bop which I was debating over, and that was also a great option. The staff was very friendly, and the prices were comparable to the area. I would love to come back.

4/25/2015

Amazing dinner last night! The best I've had in a long time! The service was terrific, the room was lovely, and the food divine!

10/31/2014

Came in on a Thursday night around 9:00 with my husband and two of our friends. None of us had ever been before but were thrilled to find out that there was a non-sushi BYOB fairly close to home (west loop). I had read on Yelp that there are often long waits for this place, but we were seated right away, probably due to our later arrival time.

Food was excellent, but service was a little spotty. Our server was super nice, but it was very obvious that she had too many tables. When we arrived, we were quickly seated and given menus and waters, but our server didn't come by to take our order, not even for apps, until 15 minutes later. There were only a couple of empty tables when we arrived but only two servers for the entire restaurant! Not the servers' fault, of course, but something management should be aware of.

Poutine: ordered the poutine with mushroom gravy and asked the server to leave off the chiles - I'm Canadian! Peppers don't belong on poutine! It was AWESOME. Easily the best poutine I've had in Chicago - yes, better than BadHappy!

Tofu Tacos: the spicy slaw was too spicy for me, good thing I ordered it on the side. The tofu was nicely seasoned. Tacos were good but nothing special.

Short Ribs: hubs ordered this. I'm a vegetarian so I didn't try it, but he was very happy with the quality and quantity of the meal. At $14, I think this is probably the best deal on the menu!

Burger: friend had the burger with egg, cheese, bacon - all the toppings. He said it was excellent and especially liked the consistency of the egg.

Pork Gyro: this is a huge meal! the gyro itself is stuffed with fries - kind of confusing since the way it was written on the board made it sound like it was a side of fries. But it does come with a side of mixed greens.

Salted Chocolate Brownie: just ok. It was a good amount of saltiness but the brownie was thin and a little hard/dry. I prefer a more moist, crumbly brownie, which this was not. I probably wouldn't order it again - I'd try the bread pudding, though!

Overall, I was really happy with this spot and we will definitely be back. For the 4 of us, our total bill was about $70 plus tip. Pretty amazing for the quality of food here! It really pays to BYOB! I can't wait to try out their brunch!

Note: They were playing really weird, pretty loud metal music. Not sure if this is a normal occurrence, but it was kind of an ambiance killer. Also, the fact that you have to walk through the kitchen to get to the bathroom is just plain weird.

5/1/2015

All of the food is incredible, and I'm excited to go back ;o)